Chapter Fourteen
LEVELING UP, THANKS TO SHAY
Andi
Shay and I slide into a high-top table at O’Malley’s, the same bar she dragged me to last week, like it’s some kind of therapy. It’s late, but the place is still buzzing, full of people I don’t want to talk to, music I barely like, and her—grinning like she’s got plans I won’t survive.
“I’m just saying,” she starts, dropping her purse with a dramatic sigh, “the jeans were a good choice.”
I tug at the waistband. “I wasn’t dressing for anyone.”
“Uh huh. And I drink tequila for the taste.”
I shoot her a look, but the waitress is already there, so I order a drink strong enough to make this conversation fade into background noise. Shay orders something pink and dangerous, leaning in like we’re plotting a crime.
“Alright,” she says, eyes sharp. “Give me the latest.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
She raises her eyebrows.
“Shay.”
She leans back, waiting.
I sigh. “Fine. He brought me dessert. Again.”
“Pie?”
I shake my head. “A cupcake this time. With pink frosting.”
She grins like I just told her we won the lottery. “Oh for the love. The hot firefighter’s feeding you now?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Is he hand-feeding you?”
“Shay.”
“Because if he is, I’m gonna need video.”
I groan, but she’s not letting up.
“You’re smiling right now.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.” She points, victorious. “Admit it.”
I take a long sip of my drink instead.
Confidence is a hell of a drug. That’s the only explanation for why I’m still thinking about Cole long after our encounter with the cupcake.
The most delicious cupcake.
But that’s beside the point.
I surprised myself by opening up about my parents. It had felt natural at the time. Then again, I never took him for a Whitney fan. How random. I can’t tell Shay all of that, though, or she’ll never let me hear the end of it.
“Come on, Andi. What’s the worst that could happen? You smile too much? Maybe enjoy yourself for once?”
“I don’t do that.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, because you’re allergic to fun. I forgot.”
I glance down at my glass, swirling the ice. “It’s not just fun, Shay. He’s… I don’t know. He doesn’t back off.”
“And you hate that?”
I open my mouth. Close it. “I don’t know.”
She watches me, her voice softer now. “When’s the last time you even let someone in like this?”
The answer hangs there, heavy.
“Since... never,” I admit, throat tight.
Shay doesn’t gloat this time. She just nods, like she knew that all along.
“And Jack’s been texting me more lately, too—just checking in, asking how I’m doing. It’s... weird. He’s never been this, like, involved before.”
She sets her drink down. “Jack’s always been there for you when you needed it.”
“Yes, but it was always more out of obligation—his loyalty to my parents. This feels like something different. I almost get the sense he’s lonely or something.”
Shay shrugs.
My phone buzzes on the table, and I snatch it up before she can get a look.
Cole: Question—if a guy brings you three pieces of pie, does that guarantee he gets bumped to level 3? Asking for a friend.
I bite my lip, but the laugh still slips out.
Shay leans in, eyes narrowing. “That better not be him.”
I shove my phone facedown. “It’s not important.”
She grins, all teeth. “It’s totally him. Told you he’s hooked.”
“Wait—how does he even have my number?” I ask, suddenly realizing I never gave it to him.
She shrugs, way too casual. “Oh, I gave it to him.”
I blink. “You what?”
“You weren’t gonna, and I was tired of watching you play hard to get without even giving the poor guy a chance.”
I gape at her, half mortified, half ready to strangle her. “Shay.”
“You’re welcome,” she says sweetly, taking another sip of her cocktail.
I lock my screen. “That was very uncool.”
Her grin is pure evil. “You like him.”
“I do not.”
“You so do.”
“Do not.”
But my stomach’s still flipping, and the smile won’t leave my face.
Dammit.
I sip my drink, trying to wipe the stupid grin off my face, but it’s no use. She’s already clocked me. I need to put a stop to this before it gets out of hand.
“Honestly though, Shay. What do we even really know about this guy?”
She leans in, eyes gleaming, like she’s about to expose something criminal. “I did some digging.”
I groan. “Of course you did.”
She pulls out her phone, tapping away. “Look, you don’t trust anyone. I get it. So, I did the heavy lifting.”
“Seriously?”
She ignores me, scrolling. “Okay, listen to this. Cole Everett Hartley. Twenty-five years old. Born and raised here, except for college. Boston College dropout, two years. Switched to Fire Academy. Been with the department for—wait—four years now.”
I blink. “You’ve got his résumé?”
A determined grin lifts her mouth. “Public records, baby. Also, I may have bribed one of the ER nurses with coffee.”
I shake my head. “That’s insane.”
“You’re welcome.” She flashes her phone at me. “He’s clean. No criminal record. No baby mamas. No weird political rants on Facebook.”
I laugh. “That’s the bar now?”
“Hell yes. Oh, and he’s got, like, zero social media. Which is either hot or suspicious.”
“Suspicious,” I mutter, but it’s half-hearted, because I don’t have social media either.
“Or,” she grins, “he’s just not into oversharing.”
“Still. What do we even know about him?” I press, trying to find solid ground. “This could all be for show.”
She leans back, arms crossed. “And what’s he showing, huh? That he likes you? That he’s trying?”
I hate how that lands. Square in the chest.
“He’s not the only one who’s tried, Shay.”
“No,” she says, gentler now. “But he might be the first one worth it.”
I go quiet, fingers tracing the rim of my glass.
“You’re a walking conundrum, girly.” She eyes me, chuckling. “Dead people? Easy. Living, breathing firefighter? Total nightmare.”
I shoot her a look that hopefully gets my point across.
Shay reaches over, nudging me. “You don’t have to decide tonight. But maybe don’t shut him out just because you’re scared.”
“I’m not scared.”
“Right.”
I glance at my phone again, still lit with that dumb text. My fingers hover.
“Maybe,” I say slowly, “he’s not a complete idiot.”
She grins. “Progress.”
“Don’t push it.”
She raises her glass. “To maybe.”
“To maybe,” I echo, barely a whisper.